| The Gravedigger's Wife | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Khadar Ayderus Ahmed |
| Written by | Khadar Ayderus Ahmed |
| Produced by | Misha Jaari Mark Lwoff Risto Nikkilä Thanassis Karathanos Martin Hampel Stéphane Parthenay Robin Boespflug-Vonie |
| Starring | Omar Abdi Yasmin Warsame |
| Cinematography | Arttu Peltomaa |
| Edited by | Sebastian Thümler |
| Music by | Andre Matthias |
| Production companies | Bufo Twenty Twenty Vision Pyramide Productions |
| Distributed by | Orange Studio |
| Release dates |
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| Running time | 83 minutes |
| Countries | France Somalia Germany Finland |
| Language | Somali |
The Gravedigger's Wife is a drama film, directed by Khadar Ayderus Ahmed and released in 2021. The film is a coproduction of companies from France, Somalia, Germany and Finland.
Ahmed's feature debut, the film was inspired by a death in his own family approximately a decade earlier. It was shot in 2019, although release was delayed until 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and its disruptions of film distribution in 2020.
The film premiered in the Critics' Week program at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. It was subsequently screened at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival, where it was one of the winners of the Amplify Voices Award. It was selected as the Somali entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards, the first time that Somalia had submitted a film.
Plot
Guled (Omar Abdi), a gravedigger in Djibouti, is struggling to raise money to pay for surgery when his wife Nasra (Yasmin Warsame) becomes gravely ill with kidney disease.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Africa Movie Academy Awards | Best Film | The Gravedigger’s Wife | Won | |
| Best Director | Khadar Ahmed | Nominated | |||
| Best Actor in a Leading Role | Omar Abdi | Won | |||
| Achievement in Makeup | The Gravedigger’s Wife | Won | |||
| Achievement in Cinematography | Nominated | ||||
| Achievement in Production Design | Won | ||||
| Best Soundtrack | Nominated | ||||
| Best Sound | Nominated | ||||
| Best First Feature Film by a Director | The Gravedigger’s Wife/Khadar Ahmed | Nominated |
See also
- List of submissions to the 94th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film
- List of Somalian submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
References
- ^ Kaleem Aftab, "Review: The Gravedigger's Wife". Cineuropa, July 7, 2021.
- ^ Lisa Nesselson, "‘The Gravedigger’s Wife’: Cannes Review". Screen Daily, July 7, 2021.
- ^ Marta Bałaga, "‘Finnish Cinema Is So White,’ Says ‘The Gravedigger’s Wife’ Helmer Khadar Ayderus Ahmed". Variety, September 15, 2021.
- Steve Pond, "‘Belfast’ Wins Toronto Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award". TheWrap, September 18, 2021.
- Frater, Patrick (6 October 2021). "'The Gravedigger's Wife' Selected by Somalia's First Ever Oscar Committee". Variety. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
- Banjo, Noah (2021-10-29). "FULL LIST: Ayinla, Omo Ghetto: The Saga bag multiple nominations at AMAA 2021". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
External links
| Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Film | |
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| FESPACO Étalon de Yennenga winners | |
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| 2001–present |
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